Orders, Decorations and Medals

An incredible Second World War ‘teenage escaper’s’ M.M. group of three awarded to Lance-Corporal Leslie Wilson, Gordon Highlanders, who made no less than 10 escapes from his German, Spanish and Vichy French captors

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (2879366 L. Cpl. L. Wilson, Gordons); 1939-45 Star; War Medal 1939-45, these two unnamed, mounted court style for wear, contact marks, nearly very fine (3) £2000-2500

M.M. London Gazette 4 May 1943.

Leslie Wilson was born in Edinburgh in 1923. A Student before he enlisted in 1939, aged 16 years, he was posted to the 5th Battalion Gordon Highlanders. With the rest of his battalion, part of the 51st Highland Division, he was captured at St. Valery-en-Caux, France, in June 1940, aged 17 years. What followed was an incredible series of escapes from German, Spanish and Vichy French captors, before finally making it home to the United Kingdom in December 1942 - possibly the youngest ever decorated British Army escaper of the Second World War.

His M.I. 9 Evasion Report states:

‘On 14 June 40 I was captured with my Bn at St.Valery-En-Caux. Some days afterwards I escaped from the line of march near Tournai, and travelled alone to Calais, via Lille and St.Omer. Finding it impossible to get away from Calais, I turned inland.

At St. Pierre-Les-Auchel, (possibly Auchel, West of Bethune), I met a British soldier. He accompanied me to Montreuil, where in Aug 40, we were arrested by German soldiers. We were kept in a barracks and used for fatigue duties. While so engaged, I escaped alone. For the rest of my journey I either walked, or rode stolen bicycles, and I begged food and shelter. I decided to try and enter Spain, and I remember passing through, or near, the following places:- Abbeville - Dieppe - Fecamp - Le Havre - Rouen - Alencon - Angers - Chatelleraut - Poitiers - Angouleme - Bordeaux - Biarritz. On an afternoon in Sep 40, some children guided me across the line of Demarcation near Orthez. I went to Pau. From there I cycled to Oloron, and headed for Canfranc, in Spain. On the French side of the frontier, I met a demobilized French Army officer, who spoke good English. I spent a night at his house, and gave him my bicycle and what French money I had, in exchange for 200 Spanish pesetas. Next day he guided me across the frontier. My plan was to get in touch with the British Consul at Saragossa.

While passing through a small hamlet near Jaca I was arrested by the Spanish "Carabineros", taken to Jaca, and interrogated. I told them that I was a British soldier trying to get into Portugal. I was then taken to Canfranc, whence the Chief of Police sent me back, with a guard, across the frontier. I waited for a short time, till the guard was out of sight, and then re-entered Spain. Early next morning while, while I was trying to change a 20 peseta note at a peasants' house, I was again arrested by the Spanish police. I was again taken before the Chief of Police at Canfranc. He was very annoyed, took from me all my money and my personal belongings, and had me escorted across the frontier for a second time. I returned to the house of the French Officer who had helped me, and told him that now I should try to reach Marseilles. He gave me about 50 francs. I took a train from the nearest village, the name of which I cannot remember, to Pau. There I stole a bicycle, and cycled to Marseilles, where I arrived in Dec 40. I went to the U.S. Consulate, and was sent to Fort St Jean.

After three weeks I obtained an advance of 1200 frs from the U.S. Consulate and with a Pte Henderson of my own Regt. (S/P.G.(F) 427), walked along the coast to a village called Stes Maries, where we found a small motor boat, in which we hoped to get to Barcelona. The weather was unfavourable, and we could not launch the boat. Shortly afterwards we were arrested by the police. We were imprisoned at Avignon for fourteen days, and later at Tarascon, where we were tried. Eventually we were sent back to Fort St. Jean.

After a further fourteen days I stowed away on a ship named Djebel Nadore, bound for Algiers. I had some food with me, and hid myself among some timber, but I got very wet during the voyage. On arrival at Algiers I got off the ship and into the town without anyone asking to see my papers. I took a train to Oran. Here I ran short of money, so I got in touch with a representative of the U.S. Consul, and he arranged for me to stay at the Hotel Jeanne d'Arc, in the rue Lamoriciere. I was there for about six weeks, and the U.S. Consul from Algiers visited me, arranged to pay my expenses, and gave me a British identity card, later taken from me by the French police.

In Mar 1941, I decided to get to Gibraltar. I took the train from Oran to Marnia. There I got off, and at night walked across the frontier of Algeria and Morocco near Naima. Here I took the train again to Casablanca. I went at once to the U.S. Consulate and was given an allowance of 325 frs per week. I stayed for fourteen days at the Hotel de la Victoire. Pte Copland of my Regt. (S/P.G.(F) 1001) was there too.

In Apr 41 I took a bus to Souk El Arba Du Gharb, and was arrested by the French police. They took my money from me and put me in a cell, guarded by an Arab. They told me that next day they would take me to Rabat. That night I asked the Arab guard to get me a drink of water, and while he was doing this I ran away. I walked for about 25 kilometers among the hills, being chased frequently by Arab dogs and their owners. In the morning a French farmer, who had given me food, handed me over to the police. I was then taken back to Souk El Arba Du Gharb. The Arab who had guarded me wished to ''beat me up", but the Commissioner of Police refused to allow it. Next day I was taken, handcuffed to Rabat. I told the Commissioner of Police that I would not try to escape, and I was not closely confined. I also received back the money taken from me at Souk El Arba Du Gharb.

After a week I took a bus to Casablanca, and went cautiously towards a U.S. Consulate, which I entered by a window to avoid a man outside whom I took to be a detective. I was given 200 frs and advised to give myself up to the police. I took a bus to Safi, where I visited the Commissioner of the Port, who refused to help me get to Gibraltar. When I tried to book a seat in a bus, I was arrested by the police, whom he had warned by telephone.

I was taken back to Rabat, where the Commissioner of Police was very angry with me, and wished to put me in a cell. I pleaded with him not to confine me, and he compromised by chaining me to a radiator in one of the buildings. I was kept thus for two weeks. I was then asked to sign a paper giving my consent to my removal to a concentration camp at Missour. This I did. I was taken from Rabat to Fez, where I spent one night in prison. Here I met a French aviator, named Roumi, possibly a deserter. As we were not handcuffed, we arranged to try to jump off the train on the way to Missour. Next day we jumped off the train as it was going slowly through a tunnel, and tried to reach the Spanish frontier, but we were caught by Arabs, handed over to the police, and taken back to Fez. We were handcuffed, and after five days, I was sent to Missour, and Roumi was taken to Oran. I arrived at Missour in May or Jun 41. During the whole of my stay at Missour I received an allowance of 325 frs per week from the U.S. Consul, who told me that if I would not try to escape, he would try to have me moved into a camp at Settat, where conditions were much better than at Missour. Eventually I was taken to Settat; after a month there I escaped again and went by train to Port Lyautey. Thence I tried to walk up the coast to Larache, but was caught by some French Coastguards. I was kept in prison in Casablanca for one month, and then sent back to Settat.

On 23 Dec 41 I was taken by the police to Casablanca, Fez abd Guercif. I spent Christmas Day in solitary confinement in a cell in Guercif. Thence I was sent to Missour, where I stayed for six months. With a Pole named Anton Aniseritz I escaped again and went, via Guercif, to a place called Merjereba. (No trace on map.) We were caught by Arabs and sent back to Missour. We were given fifteen days' solitary confinement and two months' imprisonment, and were then removed to Fez. Here a tribunal condemned us to seven months imprisonment. We appealed against this sentence, and were sent to Rabat, where the sentence was confirmed by an appeal court. We remained in prison in Rabat until the end of Nov 1942.

After the Allies entered North Africa, the French wished me to join the Foreign Legion, which I refused to do.

In Dec 42 I was allowed to go to Casablanca where I stayed in the British Club. While there I worked as an interpreter with the U.S. Army, and obtained a British uniform from the Consulate.

I left Casablanca by plane on 18 Dec 42 and arrived at Gibraltar the same day. On 22 Dec 42 I left Gibraltar on a warship, and arrived at Plymouth on 26 Dec 42 ."

With copied M.I.9 Evasion Report and other research.